This Is Love
by PurpleElevators
Summary: Cancer had chosen Samantha Puckett. But Freddie and the others aren't ready to let her go. Quick one shot about friendship, love and heartache.


**Oneshot which came into my head.**

June 17th 2014

The day their world came crashing down. It was so unexpected. So shocking. But so real. At first they didn't believe it. They said it was some mistake. But it wasn't. It would explain what had happened over the past few weeks though. But that didn't make it any better.

They were heartbroken, knowing the strongest out of them had this. It shocked her. She was tough as nails but now she was...crumbling. They didn't know if she had long left. They didn't know if she'd be cured within a matter of treatments. All they could do was pray. It was hard.

She cried that night. They all did. But she cried the hardest and he held her until she fell asleep and held her until she woke the next morning. He said they were in this together. He said he loved her. He did. And she said she loved him too. He told her this doesn't change anything between them. But she thought it would.

It was unbelievable but they knew they couldn't do anything about it from the moment the words were spoken. Those six little words.

"You've been diagnosed with lung cancer."

Heads were spinning, minds were fogging and they were left speechless.

She had been coughing for weeks. Normal coughs turned into coughing fits which turned into coughing up blood. They thought she might have a chest infection but they were far off.

And reality hit them.

Cancer had chosen Samantha Puckett.

...

Sam laid in bed, snuggled next to her boyfriend of three years who held her in his arms protectively. Sam was eighteen and Freddie never thought they'd have to face the ultimate battle at such a young age. But she wasn't going through it alone. He was there, Carly was there, Gibby was there, Spencer was there, and even Freddie's mother.

When they found out about the cancer, Spencer and Freddie immediately called Carly who got a last minute plane back to Seattle from Italy and she said she'd be here for as long as Sam needs. Maybe even longer. Freddie decided to go to college next year and have a gap year for this time around to look after Sam and if she's still not well by next year, then Freddie would drop out of college and go back once Sam's better.

Carly decided against college to also look after Sam with Freddie and so did Gibby. Spencer was helping a lot and Mrs Benson was getting as many shifts at the hospital to help pay for Sam's treatment since her mother was away on some cruise. She didn't care.

They were all putting their lives on hold for Sam. She was thankful but didn't want them ruining their lives. She told Freddie, Gibby and Carly they have to go to college but they put their feet down. Sam came first. Always.

Sam rested her cheek on Freddie's chest, her arm going around his waist as he kissed the top of her head. Her hair was beginning to fall out but Freddie didn't care. To him, she was beautiful no matter what. Sam was insecure; she thought he'd get disgusted at her being bald. But Freddie wasn't shallow. He loved her so much.

There was a knock at the door and Freddie lifted his head to see Carly walk in.

"Hi," she said softly.

Sam didn't lift her head, she just remained staring into space, her head resting on her boyfriend's chest.

Freddie gave Carly a small smile and she sat on the edge of the bed, twiddling with her thumbs.

"How is she?" Carly asked.

"She's...okay. Tired but...she'll pull through," Freddie answered before looking down at his girlfriend. "Won't you?"

Sam simply shrugged. She'd been like this for a while. Freddie and Carly were worried she was depressed. It had been so long since she'd smiled.

"She will," Carly said. "Anyway, here you go."

Carly handed Freddie a box. He took it from her and placed it in his bedside drawer.

"Thank you," he said to Carly who nodded, smiling.

"Anytime," she responded, standing up and then looked at Sam. "Bye, Sam."

Sam didn't reply. She was silently crying into Freddie's chest.

"Bye, Carly," Freddie said instead and their best friend left their bedroom. Freddie looked down at Sam. Her eyes which once had been a bright blue were now a dull grey. She was beautiful but looked so lifeless.

"Freddie?" she whispered her voice croaky and raspy.

"Yeah, sweetheart?" he asked, caressing her cheek.

"Am I going to die?"

"No," Freddie replied firmly.

But he wasn't so sure.

...

Sam couldn't sleep. Freddie was laid next to her, fast asleep and she smiled at him, kissing his forehead. But she was wide awake. And had been for hours. With a sigh, Sam stood up. She was pretty weak but managed to walk over to the other side of the room. She glanced at the drawer where Freddie had placed a box Carly had given to him a couple nights ago.

Her curiosity got the better of her and she opened it. Sam found a black velvet box and opened it. There in front of her, in her hands, was a diamond engagement ring. On the inside was an engraving. 'Forever', it read.

Sam gasped. Freddie was going to propose.

Beside her, Sam's boyfriend stirred and his eyelids opened. He sat up and found Sam staring at the ring. He stared at her with wide eyes and she shook her head.

"I'm dying," she choked out. "You...can't marry me. I'm...dying!"

Freddie swung his legs over the bed, standing up and taking the box from Sam.

"I don't care. I love you. I want to marry you...I love you so much...you're my everything," Freddie started, taking Sam's hands, a tear escaping his eye. "Cancer...doesn't stop that. I know you can do it and I want you to be mine...please, Sam." With that, Freddie got down on one knee, presenting the diamond ring to Sam. "I...I don't want anyone else. I want to marry you...Sam I love you...please...you're my everything and...I know you want to get married one day. So please...will you marry me?"

"I could be dead by next week," Sam reminded him but he shook his head. "I don't want you to marry me when I probably won't live for our first anniversary."

"I know you can," Freddie pleaded. "Marry me, Sam. I love you. Please...marry me."

Sam let a few tears fall from her eyes before she took a deep breath and nodded. Freddie beamed, standing up, sliding the ring onto Sam's finger and picking her up, spinning her around.

Sam buried her face in his neck, crying all over again but not because she was sad as she clutched onto Freddie. He kissed her softly, pulling her closer to him.

And for the first time in what seemed like forever, she felt happier.

...

Carly walked into Sam and Freddie's bedroom and spotted Sam looking in the mirror, tears streaming down her face. She was bald from her chemotherapy and she hated it. Carly blinked back her own tears, wanting to stay strong for her best friend.

She walked over to Sam and brought her into a hug.

"You're beautiful," she said to her but Sam shook her head.

"I'm not," she whispered. "Why me?"

"I don't know...but you'll fight it."

Sam let out a desperate sob, clinging to her best friend who tried to soothe her, trying her best to not cry herself.

This was breaking everyone's hearts. Sam was dying. And there was nothing they could do. Sam and Freddie had gotten married last week in a stuffy little registry office but that didn't matter. They were married and that was all that mattered.

Carly and Sam moved to the bed and Sam laid down beside Carly who had her arm around her. She soon fell asleep and Carly kissed her best friend's temple, crawling off the bed.

...

Sam woke up in an empty bed. She found a note beside the bed from Freddie.

_Come over to the Shay's_

_Freddie xx_

Sam frowned. She stood up and pulled on her clothes. She looked dead already. Dead and bald. Sam hated this but like hell was she going to give up.

She slowly walked out of the apartment, opening the door of the Shay's where she saw Spencer, Gibby, Carly and Freddie holding balloons which read out 'we love you Sam'.

There was cake, decorations and various pictures of Sam and them. There were memories in front of her but that wasn't what surprised her.

They had all shaved their heads.

None of them had hair. Not even Gibby's ceramic head.

"Wha..." Sam started.

"Now we're all bald so you can't say you're not beautiful," Freddie said grinning.

"Why did you do that?" Sam asked, crying.

"Read the balloons," Spencer said and Sam smiled. Freddie walked over to her, bringing her into a warm hug and he kissed her forehead before taking off Sam's scarf.

"You don't need that," he muttered kissing her.

"I love you," Sam said and then looked at the rest of her friends. "And I love you all."

"We're in it together," Gibby told her.

Sam couldn't speak. They'd put their lives on hold for her, been there for her and now shaved their heads for her.

"Want some cake?" Carly asked her, grinning and presenting Sam with a giant cake with a picture of them all on it.

Sam nodded, smiling.

Freddie took Sam's hands, kissing her softly. "You can do this."

Sam nodded, kissing him again. "I know."

...

"Why, Freddie?!" Sam screamed, punching the wall beside the bed. "WHY?!"

They had just returned from the hospital and the doctors told Sam she had weeks left. Sam lost hope. She's going to die.

"I hate this! I HATE THIS SO MUCH! YOU TOLD ME I WASN'T GOING TO DIE!" Sam shrieked and her husband rushed over to her, pulling her to his chest.

"Shh...please...it's gonna be okay. I know it...don't you give up," he said softly.

"There's no point," Sam snapped and Freddie brought her into his lap as he sat on the bed. Her legs went around his waist and she sobbed into his chest, gripping his shirt. "I'm dying!"

"No," Freddie whispered, shaking his head. "You're a survivor."

"The world hates me," Sam argued bitterly.

"No it doesn't." But he was speaking to a brick wall. "Look at me," he said firmly but Sam wouldn't. "Fucking LOOK at me!" he yelled which caused Sam to jump and she looked up at her husband. "It's NOT your fault. The world doesn't hate you. Stop thinking that! You DON'T have weeks left. I REFUSE to believe that! I don't care if the doctors say that. You're going to get through it!"

Freddie lost control himself and tears fell down his cheeks too. He sniffled grabbing Sam and yanking her in top of him as he fell back on the bed and the two of them cried together.

Sam looked up and kissed Freddie passionately, still crying. She gripped onto him and pressed herself close to him.

"We're going to get through this," he told her.

...

"She's flatlining!" the doctor hollered as Sam was in surgery. She needed an operation but was so weak. Her heart wasn't going to make it. They immediately took her out of surgery and hooked her up to life support. They knew she wouldn't make it.

Unless she had another heart.

The doctors told Freddie, Carly, Spencer and Gibby this as they anxiously waited and Freddie stood up instantly. He offered to give Sam his heart.

Carly screamed out, begging the doctors to save Sam without losing Freddie. Freddie wouldn't change his mind though. If it meant to save Sam, he'd do anything.

Mrs Benson rushed down to the hospital, in panic once she heard the news.

There was ruckus throughout the halls. Carly and Mrs Benson were begging Freddie to not do it. They said something would come up. But Freddie was firm about it. Until a rash decision was made.

Freddie would give Sam his heart. And Mrs Benson would give Freddie hers.

"No," Freddie said to his mother.

"Yes," she argued. "I know I can't talk you out of this so let me save you!"

"I can't let you die!"

"I can't let YOU die!" Mrs Benson cried.

"Is it even possible?" Carly asked the doctor.

"It's never happened before but it's not impossible. We'll just have to be quick during the procedure."

"I have to save Sam," Freddie whispered.

"And I have to save you."

...

That was ten years ago. Sam was given weeks at eighteen and yet she's here at twenty eight, healthy and carrying Freddie's heart. Freddie's beside her carrying his mother's heart.

They battled cancer. Sam was given a time but she overcame it. She's okay. They both are.

Freddie sits next to his wife and daughter as Sam holds baby Marissa in her arms. He presses a soft kiss to his daughter's forehead and presses one to Sam.

Freddie was willing to give up his life to save his wife's. And Mrs Benson gave up her life to save her son's. This wasn't no Romeo and Juliet. Or Bella and Edward. This was love.

Never let someone give you a certain time. Sam was told she had weeks left and that was ten years ago.

Not even cancer could overcome Sam and Freddie. They cherish their moments forever. Their love is strong and everlasting.

And Mrs Benson still watches from above.

Sam smiles at her husband and Freddie smiles back, kissing her softly.

Nothing's ever permanent. You can't have a set death date. You might. You might not. But if you do, don't think it's the end. No matter what you're going through; keep fighting. Don't give up.

Because in the end, you'll be glad you didn't.

**I don't know the ins and outs of that heart donor thing but for the purpose of this story, let's just pretend that can happen.**


End file.
